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J. E. MILLER. GLASS HOLDING SNAP.

Patented Dec. l,

(No Model.)

INVENTOR TH: cams PETERS co. Pnuouno.. wAsumcTcN. o. c.

WITNESSES UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOI'IN E. MILLER, OF VASIIINGTON, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO GEORGE DUNCANS SONS & CO., OF SAME PLACE.

GLASS-HOLDING SNAP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 572,308, dated December 1, 1896. Application lecl January 30, 1896. Serial No. 577,378. (No model.)

To (/,ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN E. MILLER, of IVashington, in the county of Washington and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Glass-Holding Snaps, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this speciication, in which- Figure l shows in vertical axial section one of my improved snaps, the section being on the line I I of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof, the jaws or holders being shown in closed position by full lines and in open position by dotted lines. Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the snap with the jaws or holders in open position.

In the drawings, 2 represents the head of the snap, in the form of a cup-shaped disk having a tubular shank 3.

4l is a sliding rod fitted within said shank and longitudinally movable therein.

5 is a spring which encircles the rod 4 within the shank and bears upon a shoulder 6 on the rod. The rod 4 is fixed at the end to a disk 7, which fits within the cup-shaped head 2. Pivoted to the disk 7 are the jaws 8, each of which comprises a section b, shaped in the arc of a circle, with an internal flange c, and a shank d, pivoted within a forked lug 9, projecting from the disk 7. The sections b of the jaws 8 are of proper size, curvature, and number, two or more, to form a circular holding device, (continuous or spaced, as may be desired,) which, when closed, as in Figs. l and 2, fit within the annulus of the cup-shaped disk, and which, when the disk 7 is projected,

as shown in Fig. 3, fall open by gravity into the divergent positions shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2 and by full'lines in Fig. 3. j

The operation is as follows: To open the snap to enable it to receive a glass article, the

rod 4 is pressed inwardly against the spring 5, so as to project the disk 7. (Shown in Fig. 3.) The jaws 8 then fall open by gravity and diverge from each other, the foot of the glass article is placed upon the disk 7, and the rod 4 is then released, so that the spring 5 shall retract it. Such retraction will draw the disk 7 back into the cavity of the head 2, and the side of said head, bearing upon the outer sides of the jaws, will move them into the closed position shown in Fig. 1, so that they shall hold the glass article, the flanges c fitting over and confining the foot thereof.

The advantages and simplicity of my improvement will be appreciated by those skilled in the art. An important part of it is that the jaws are independently pivoted and act automatically and independently of each other, so that they are not liable to get out of adjustment, but will readily center themselves, so as to conform to and hold securely the glass article placed therein.

My invention is not limited to any special construction or arrangement of the shank 3, the rod 4, and spring or any other actuating device 5; but

That I claim as new is In a glass-holding snap, a movable rod having a disk or head, and glass-holdingsections hinged thereto, in combination with a cup or head surrounding said glass-holdin g sections,

means for normally retracting said rod to bring the sections within the cup or head and to close the same, said sections being adapted to fall open by gravity when the rod is proj ected; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

JOHN E. MILLER. Titnesses THOMAS W. BAKEWELL, G. I. I-IoLDsI-IIP. 

